History

Description

Do you have a passion for history, for learning about a strange though sometimes seemingly familiar past? Do you want to understand more about the way humans react in certain political, cultural, religious economic or social settings? Are you interested in the history of ideas? History at the University of Birmingham introduces you to a wide diversity of approaches and theories of history from the local to the global, from the political to the social.

The

Detailed Course Facts

• English

Course Content

First year

Much of your first year will be spent acquiring a general overview of the medieval, early modern and near contemporary past. The ‘Practising History’ module introduces you to the key skills you’ll need to study History at degree level and enables you to study select historical episodes. All this will help you make more informed decisions about subject choices in years two and three. You also have a free choice of another module from the wide range offered by the University, and we particularly encourage students to study a foreign language which enhances your opportunities to study documentary evidence in languages other than English.

First year modules

• Practising History (A): Skills in History
• Practising History (B): Approaches to History
• Medieval History 500-1050
• Medieval History 1050-1500
• The Making of the Modern World 1500-1815
• The Making of the Contemporary World 1815-2000
• Themes and Areas 1

Second year

In each term in your second year you’ll have a choice of around 15 study options. You will also start doing preparatory work for your final-year dissertation; selecting a topic, assessing its feasibility and engaging in preliminary discussions with potential supervisors. The Research Methods module gives you first-hand experience of the work of a historian as you learn to identify and frame a valid, intellectually coherent research for your dissertation. The module History in Theory and Practice gives you an overview of the evolution of history writing and an introduction to key issues confronting historians today, which you’ll find helps you reflect on your own historical research.

Second year modules

• Research Methods
• History in Theory and Practice
• Group Research
• Option A and B (one in Autumn, one in Spring)
• Themes and Areas 2 .

Third year

In your final year you will have some 20 special subjects to choose from, ranging from the early medieval period almost up to the present day, and covering a wide range of British, European and Global areas. You’ll approach the particular subject of your choice not only through reading, but also by intensive study of original documents. There are also a further 14 or so final-year options to choose from in each of the autumn and spring terms.

For most students, the real centre-piece of the final year is their dissertation – a piece of extended writing on a subject of your choice and which requires significant use of archival and other primary source materials. You will have a set of one-to-one consultation sessions with an academic supervisor, who will comment and advise on your drafts.

• Advanced Option A (Autumn)
• Advanced Option B (Spring)
• Special Subject
• Dissertation

History BA (V100) Year Abroad

This four year route offers you the additional educational benefit of a year of study in an approved University in Europe or in English speaking countries. Students with grades of 2.1 or above will be asked to apply for the Year Abroad in the first term of their second year and if successful, will go abroad in their third year. In addition to the tutor support given from the host University, students who choose to take a Year Abroad will be allocated a member of staff from the Department of History who will monitor their progress while overseas through regular email and/or Skype contact.

English Language Requirements

CAE score : 80(Grade A)

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

A Level: AAB with an A grade in A level History/ Medieval History/ Ancient History

IB: 36 points with History at Higher Level

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Birmingham.